Humberto Ascanio will be listed as trainer of Ventura for Saturday's
$300,000 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park, but if the brilliant
5-year-old wins the Grade 1 race over a mile on turf, he will not take
credit.

Ascanio's thoughts will be with the late Hall of Fame trainer
Bobby Frankel, who died on Nov. 16 after a lengthy illness. Even in his
final days, Frankel was coaching Ascanio, his assistant, on how to
prepare Ventura.

"This is Bobby's," Ascanio said on Thanksgiving morning. "He
made this filly. I just followed orders and trained her the way he
trained. I want this, just for him."
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